When Winterton swept the board

Tuesday's column told of how football fever had swept Winterton Hospital in the 1960s, both patients and staff benefitting enormously.
Jack Turton, who co-wrote a hospital history, continues assiduously to mop the column's brow - though there's talk of a blood bath, too.
Jack sends a photograph of the 1909-10 team - played 35, won 35 - and another of the 1950-51 side on which our dear old friend Len "the Leap" Watson sits second from left in the front row.

Len, Trimdon lad and Durham City Harrier, still held the world Over-75s long jump record when he died, aged 90, in January last year. Built like a roll of barbed wire, empowered by a noxious liniment called Watson's No 6, he was a painter and decorator at Winterton and ran until he was 80.
From the hospital magazine, interestingly entitled Ahead, Jack also sends an account of the presentation night after the Hospital's 1971 Durham Amateur Cup win - goalkeeper Brian Crampton was player of the year, having conceded just 29 in 51 games - and of a curious incident in October 1970.


Click on title for full article